Switching to a gluten-free shampoo and other hair care products is not strictly necessary since you’re using these products on your hair as opposed to eating them.

But if you ever get shampoo foam in your mouth or touch your hair and put your fingers in your mouth, you risk getting glutened unless all your hair care products are gluten-free. Some people with eczema also find their skin feels better if they avoid gluten ingredients in their personal care products.

Buying only gluten-free shampoo and other hair care products could save you from accidental exposure, depending on how sensitive you are to trace gluten. 

Whether gluten-free shampoos or conditioners are better or worse for your hair is really a matter of personal experience and choice. But if even the tiniest trace of gluten causes you problems, then, without doubt, give the products a try.

While some may dismiss the risk of gluten in personal care products, a study from Japan reported that over 1,900 people had an allergy to hydrolyzed wheat protein soap, a condition diagnosed as wheat-dependent exercise-induced asthma.

Best Gluten-Free Hair Products

Fortunately, there’s a nice mix of brands that now make gluten-free hair care products, including some budget brands and some more expensive lines. The following brands of hair care products offer gluten-free shampoos and conditioners:

Products to Avoid

If you are concerned about gluten in hair care products, be sure to read the label before purchasing. If you see one or more of the following terms in the ingredients list, it means the shampoo or other hair care product contains ingredients made from wheat, barley, or rye. This includes ingredients that indicate oats since many of us need to avoid them as well.

  • Triticum vulgare (wheat)
  • Hordeum vulgare (barley)
  • Secale cereale (rye)
  • Avena sativa (oats)
  • Wheat germ oil
  • Hydrolyzed wheat protein
  • Stearyl dimonium hydroxypropyl (hydrolyzed wheat protein)
  • Laurdimonium hydroxypropyl (hydrolyzed wheat protein)
  • Colloidal oatmeal
  • Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (may contain wheat)
  • Dextrin palmitate (starch, possibly gluten-based)
  • Vitamin E (frequently derived from wheat germ oil)
  • Malt extract (usually barley)
  • Beta-glucan (frequently derived from wheat)
  • Vegetable protein (may contain wheat, barley, rye, and/or oats)

A Word From Verywell

If your product is not on the list and you want to know if it’s safe, call the manufacturer to ask if it’s gluten-free. If in doubt, take no chances and only buy products certified gluten-free.

The absence of these ingredients doesn’t mean that a product is gluten-free. There are numerous cosmetic chemicals derived from wheat, barley, rye or oats, some of which are hidden behind such catch-all labels as “fragrance.”

While many manufacturers do not submit their products for certification, the consumer demand for certified gluten-free personal care products is rising. Certifying bodies in North America include the National Celiac Association, Gluten Intolerance Group, and Beyond Celiac (formerly the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness).

Frequently Asked Questions

  • If I have celiac disease, do I need a gluten-free shampoo?
  • It’s a personal decision to choose a gluten-free product as not everyone with celiac disease will be sensitive to gluten-containing shampoos and conditioners. Research shows that gluten cannot be absorbed through the skin but some people do find them irritating to the scalp. If you’re not sure whether you should buy a gluten-free shampoo, ask your healthcare provider.
  • Do most shampoos have gluten?
  • Gluten is a common ingredient in shampoo and conditioner, so it’s not safe to assume that most products will be gluten-free. The best way to know for sure if a product is gluten-free is to call the manufacturer or check the manufacturer’s website to see if the product is certified gluten-free.

It’s a personal decision to choose a gluten-free product as not everyone with celiac disease will be sensitive to gluten-containing shampoos and conditioners. Research shows that gluten cannot be absorbed through the skin but some people do find them irritating to the scalp. If you’re not sure whether you should buy a gluten-free shampoo, ask your healthcare provider.

Gluten is a common ingredient in shampoo and conditioner, so it’s not safe to assume that most products will be gluten-free. The best way to know for sure if a product is gluten-free is to call the manufacturer or check the manufacturer’s website to see if the product is certified gluten-free.